[Cacophony]

So one of the budgies that we picked up on Monday has developed cling-ons. He seems to be eating normally, there's no tail bobbing, his cere and eyes are both clear, he's not overly fluffing...

I'm figuring at this stage it's stress between the 2 year old hanging out under the cage and the cats wondering what the small fast things are. The cats have been behaving, just very very curious and I haven't put the cage where it's going to be mounted because we're on quarantine. I'm kind of out of places to put'em where the cats can't see them.

Am I just keeping an eye on Kiril at this point or is there anything else I can do?

[Tara Rose]

There is a product called benebac you could try. I dont know where you would find it in Canada, most pet stores in the states carry it though. It is basically a probiotic, and if the yucky poos are truly just due to stress it could help. However you have to figure out a way to get her to eat it Good luck and I hope the little one is ok

[Carrie~Anne]

Have you taken her into the vet?

[Cacophony]

To be completely honest, I'm pretty certain it's stress and the thought of paying a 70.00 vet bill for a 15.00 budgie over nothing isn't something I've got the budget to do. If there were ANY other signs it would be a different story. I cleaned him up yesterday afternoon - making sure his vent was clear - and I've been keeping a very careful eye on him. He was a monkey to catch and fussed the entire time, which is a good thing. If he'd have just let me do it I'd have taken that as another bad sign. The little fids have been eating like piglets, both the millet I put into the cage to encourage them to eat and out of their regular food dish. After spending most of the morning right up in the corner by the light, he's now moved away and is chattering, checking out the toys when he's sure no one's watching and since the backside preening incident his vent has stayed clear. His poop was a little thick but is back to normal this morning - they had water in a massive dish and in the new cage it's across the cage from the food so they don't soak all of their seed and pellets, I think he just didn't know where it was at first. At no point in time has he been tail bobbing, overly fluffing, and his breathing rate has remained normal for the most part. They're still on the skittish side considering they moved from a massive hex tank with 25 odd babies in it to a tall wire cage with just one buddy for company.

Spending 20 minutes waiting for a budgie to drop a birdie bomb first thing in the morning was entertaining. I swear the little brat was holding it just because I was waiting. And I'm getting cheek fluffies and chirps back if I talk softly to them.

Kostia - the cobalt - is definately the more outgoing at this point. Kiril - the one with the vent issue - is much more cautious and not half as quick to succumb to flattery and pretty birds. I think he just took the move a lot harder, which is funny because the goofy blue got out of the box and had to be netted twice. Kiril got pinned in a corner and just froze - he didn't fight the net at all. I think he's going to end up being my "sensitive" one.

[Carrie~Anne]

the thought of paying a 70.00 vet bill for a 15.00 budgie over nothing isn't something I've got the budget to do.

Well, you could always use it as his first birdie check up with the vet. Small birds like Budgies and Cockatiels are notorious for carrying various diseases such as gardia and chlamydia which they may or may not show signs for. I'm quite sure you don't want to introduce that into the rest of your flock.